Tube cap



oct. 1, 1935. @R1-RANK 2,015,999

led Jan. '7, 1935.

Patented il, 1935 UNITED sTAfrEs'f PATENT OFFICE 2,015,999: -runn car r. mnt. rmburgiv. r. 'applicaties .Ianni- 1, 19:5. sensi No. 'm

, .comme nm-wwfr -A y e Y /This invention relates to a tube cspandhas w disclosed'andrshownou the accompanying draw-` for an object to provide a new and improved tube capespecially useful ontoothpastetubesor similarly useful on all types of .paste tubes including d shaving cream, cold cream, paste or any other type of materials that are customarily put up and sold in tubes of this general character. f*

Previous to th invention diiferent types of caps have been provided for closingl tooth paste tubes, some of them being detachable from the tubeand some `of themn being formed. integral with `the tube. All of the previousy known caps,

however, in spite of 'their many advantages, have certain inherent disadvantages preventing their 'l5 general adoption. The removable cap has the` disadvantage `that it is apt to be lost, the integral` cap has the disadvantage that it is apt to be too expensive for this typ'eof and is apt to be too complicated to be practical.

,20 uWith the cap of this invention, however it is4 possible to overcome these disadvantages. The

cap of this invention is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture yet it can be used continu- M ously on a succession'ofpaste tubes, that is, when Lone paste tube has been emptied the cap of this 1 L,invention canbe removed therefrom and used on Y a `new toothpaste tube. Once put in position on (the tube, howeverhis 'cap is not intended to be reinoved therefroxntuntii the tube has beenLemptied, whereupon it may be lremoved and replaced on a new tube. Itis. placed onthe Jtube by the simplest operation of all, that of merely setting the cap onto the tube, and once in position a .Y simple pressure of `the thumb una thumb piece serves to nove the cap to eithen open or closed y position; operating in commotion with a lock or vcatcl'mvhich holdsthe cap in the open position, while the pastels-being dispensed therefrom, and then allows the cap to snap back to the closed position on a'slight pressure either of the thumb or on laying the tube down so that a part-of the l llocking means c omes into contact with the tabl on which the tube is being placed. 1 a Q It is Ifurther possible with this invention to loci: the capagainst accidental opening as when traveling, and to-place its part of the locking means outof operation when in ordinary use, as in the home when, it may not be desirable, by merely y50 tightening the cap a further half turn on the threadedend of the tube.

With the foregoing and other/ objects inY view, as will hereinafter become apparent, this invention comprises Athe constructions,r combinations 5 and arrangements of parts, hereinafter set forth,

`There is shown at Il' a tube of the 'general ing. i

In this drawing Y ,A Figure 1 is airont elevation of the tube cap, Figure lis an end view of the same, looking '5 fromthe' right in Figure 1, ,Y f y Figure-3 is a top plan view of the invention, and

, Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 2. l0

nature for which the cap I2 of this invention is used. Tistube I0 has the usual threaded/neck I I which is customarily sold with a threaded detachable, cap in position thereon. J'I'his threaded l5 detachable capwill be discarded4 and the cap I2 of this invention substituted therefor.

The cap I2inc1udes.a lowerjaw I4 to which is hinged an upper jaw I5 by means oi a hinged pin I6 about which extends a coil spring Il hav- 20 ing its ends I8 and I 9 tending to move the jaws I4 and I5 to the closed position. The lower surface of the lower jaw I 4 is generally concave in shapeconforming to the convex end I3 o f the tube III. Extending through this lower Jaw I4 25 is a threaded opening 20 which is adapted to be threaded onto the neck II, the thickness of `the lower jaw I4 along the surface of the threads 20 Abeing verylslightly less than the length of the vthreaded neck II, beingless than the length preferably by the' thickness of about half a'thread. The upper jaw I5 isV provided with a.,I cylindrical,` depressionwhiehreeeives a rubberwasher 2| in position lopposite the `threaded aperture 210i the lower jaw. The iaws Il and I5 on the other 35 sides of the pivot pin I8 end in ilnger grips 22 ,and 23.

"placed a coil expansion spring 21 tending to normally force the lutton end 26 away from the 45 ilnger grips 23 and thus draw theshort end 28 of the J toward the opposite side of this iinger f grip 23. This short end 28 extends back through the side 29 oi the upper Iilnger grip 2,3 and this side 29 overlaps a side wall of thev lower finger 50 grip 22. This side wall I0 is provided with a pair of spaced locking depressions 3| and 32 connected by an arcuate slightly depressed path 33.

l Thedepressions" 3| and 32 are so spaced that when the short end 2871s in the depression 32 55 2 l n I the Jews e ehem locked in elesed relation te eeen other, es shown in Figure 4, but when unel short end 28 is in the opening' 3l the jaws are; held locked in open position, as shown in the dot dash outline I' in Figure 1.

device will be apparent from the foregoing d escription. While the device has been shown and the structure described; in "detail, it is obvious .that this is not to be considered limited to the exact form disclosed and that changes may be `the thickness-ofthe lower jaw Il along 'its threads-20 is slightly less than the threaded end II of the tube" I0, the upper jaw I5will not )be able to come into Vfull contact with the lower -jaw I4 and hence the -short end 28 of the locking vWire 24 will not enter the locking depression 32. When in use in the home there is no necessity of locking the jaws in-the closed position and the coil spring I1 has suflicient tension to hold the upperjaw I5 and its washer. 2l tightly against the edge. of the threaded neck II andfprevent l 5 .5 In operation, the cap I2 is substituted for 'the made therein within the scope of what is claimed conventional threaded` cap which is discarded. without departing from the spirit of the inven- The cap I2 is threaded onto the neck II. down tion. j J 'l as far as it will go when intendedforuse in the Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature home. In this position due to thefact that 0f this invm'ition, what is claimed is: 10

A tube cap comprising-a pair 4of jawimembers, a pivot securing said jaw members together, athreaded aperture extending through one'of said jaw members, and nger 'grip means integral with* said jaw members cooperating, with 15 vsaid pivot for pinching said jaw members to open Position.

2, A tube cap comprising a pair of jaw members, a plvt securing said jaw members together,

one of saidjaw members having ya threaded aperf tine extendingtherethrough from the lower surface thereof to the surface in contact with the other jaw member, means tending to move saicl the contentsl of the' tube jaw members to a closed position, finger g'rips from being wasted or from drying out. f

'the tube and make use of V` In vorder lt 0 open integral with each jaw member'extending'to the 25 the contents-thereof, thenger grips 22 and 23 opposite side of said pivot, said finger grips being are graspe or pinched between the fingers pivspaced from each other when said jaws are in oting the upper jaw. I5 to the position f5" while closed'position andladapted to be pinched .to-

- the short end 28 of lpcking wire'424 will travei ward each other 'to move said jaws toppenv along the arcuate depression 33 amiv e ter the position, and latching means-` for securing saidaorlocking depression 3l holding theiupper jaw inf `jaw members `in open position'. the position I`5 while the contents 'of the tube l3.' A.tube -cap comprising a. pair of jaw memarebeing dispensed. To close the tube therebers, a pivot securing said jaw members toafterfit is onlyjnecessary to either manually degether, one of Asaid jaw members having a threadpress the button 2Bv or to lay the tube down so ed apertureaextending therethrough from; the135 that the button 26 comesfinto contact with ,the lower surface thereof tothe surface in contact supporting surface allowing the short end. 2l" with the other jaw member,meanstexiding to of locking wire 24 to be raised out of the locking y vinove said jaw members to a closed`-position,

depression 3| whereby the -coil spring` I1 will pinchabie means integral with said jaw members move the upper jawfrom the position I5 to the cooperating with said pivot for moving said jaw 4o position I5. 1 When travelling or when'carrying the paste tube II'I .from place to place it is desirable that -closed position* the upper jaw- I5 be prevented from opening 4. A farbe cap comprising a \e ven though other articles in the same container may accidentally press thereagainst. To do this members to an open position, and latching means forsecuring said jaw members in either'open or N bers, a pivot securing said jaw members together,'45

fulli closedposition and allows the short end n it is onlyLJnecessary to unthread the cap I2 a v halfa. thread so as to put`the upp'ersurfacc of the lower jaw I4 in the same plane "with the edge of, the threaded neck Il. This permits thel coil Aspring I1 to close the upper jaw li'to'the 28 of locking wire 24` t'o enter the locking deture extending therethrough from the lower surface thereof. tothesurface in lc ontact withthe otheicjaw member, means tending to move said jaw members to a closed position, Xlatching means 50 for saidjawbmembersin open position,

i and finger pieces on-said jaw members integrally fori extending to the other 'side of sald'pivot operating said jawfmembers to open position.

5.v A tube ca`p comprising a pair of jaw membersQ` a pivot securing said jaw. members. vtrio gether, one of said jaw members having a threaded aperture extending therethrough fromthe lqwe'r surface thereof tothe surface inecontact with the other' jaw member, means tending to move 60 said jaw members to a closed position.

` means fp securing said jaw rienbers in open position, and finger pieces on said jaw members 5 integrally extending to the other side of 'said pivot .pression 32 and hold the jaws locked in closed position. f 'When necessary to 'open thecap J2, Lit is now necessary to manually Adepress the button -26A while holding it in'depressed condition,I squeeae the finger grips 22 and 23together so kas to bring the upper jawin the position I5 and lock itin that position with the short ends 28 inthe locking depression 3l..

This invention is thus useful' to hold the jaws locked orlatched in open position while dispensing the contents of the tube. When" used in' travelling the jaws may be locked in closed position Zas when being carried in as handbag preventing thecap from being accidentally opened and dispensing its/ contents; to ruin the other said latching means comprising 7a. Iilwire having its long`end extending through one of-said /ilngempieces and itsishot end, adapted toenterfor operating saidjaw members to' openiitioq, 65 v articles in-the handbag: When used-in/the home,

however, the Lmeansl for lockin'ggthef jawsqn DieSAlldmDmrmHyl-II Saidshorj closed position maybe rendered temporariljrin--` 'into latchin'g ZV 3f e operative by 'merely threadingI the cap bg' an- 6. A toothpaste tube cap comprising a pair of lother half turn. .Y fjaw membeisiamivot'seclning saidjaw members The nbvelfeaturesiand-vthe operation oit/this together,

L f i I mi Nw .manutan eem' jew."

.pieces extending or. the opposite side oi', said securing pivot,` a coil spring about said securing pivot bearing against said finger pieces urging said jaw members into contacting position, the lower of said jaw members having a threaded aperture extending therethrough from' its lower surface to the surface of the other of said -jaw members, a washer member countersunk in thel other of said jaw members in alignment with said threaded aperture, and means for latching said jaw members in open or closed position.

'1. A/tooth paste tube cap comprising a pair of Jaw members, a pivot securing said jaw memi ber together, finger pieces integral with said jaw pieces extending on the opposite side of said securing pivot, a coil spring abo'ut said securing pair of cooperating latch depressions in the other of said finger piecescorrespondi'ng to the open and the closed positions thereof.

f 8. A tooth paste tube 4cap comprising a pair of jaw members, a pivot securing said jaw mem- 5 bers together, finger'pieces integral with said jaw pieces extending lon theopposite side of said securing pivot, a. coil spring about said securing pivot bearing against said finger pieces urging said j aw members into contacting position, the 10 lower of saidjaw ,members having a threaded aperture extending therethrough from its lower surface to the surface of the other of saidljaw members, a washer member countersunk in the other of said `jaw members in alignment with said 16 threaded aperture, and means for latching said jaw members in open or closed position, said latching means comprising a `latch member extending through one of said finger pieces, and a pair of cooperating latch depressions in the otherlof said 2Q finger pieces corresponding to the open and the closed positions thereof, the thickness of said lower jaw member along the threaded aperture therethrough being substantially half a thread CRT P. FRANK'. 

